Valve for clothes steaming and pressing apparatus



H. G. SUTTON Jan. 9, 1934.

VALVE FOR CLOTHES STEAMING AND PRESSING APPARATUS Filed March 25, 1932 r m m D n 3 (Ittorneg'i Patented Jan. 9, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VALVE FOB CLOTHES STEAMING AND PBESSING APPARATUS Harry G. Sutton, Syracuse, N. Y., assignor to United States Hoflman Machinery corpora tion, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware This invention pertains-to an improved valve structure adapted more especially for use in connection with garment pressing machines wherein steam is designed to be sprayed onto the earment being treated. More specifically the invention has for its main object the production or a packless valve controlling the passage of steam from the usual pressure chamber to the spray chamber, which latter is provided with a perforate face to permit the passage of steam therethrough.

A further object of the invention is to produce a valve structure wherein the flow of'the steam from the pressure chamber through the valve body and into the spray chamber will produce a suction around and about the valve actuating stem so that the presence of packing for said stem is obviated.

I am aware that various head valves connecting the pressure and spray chambers have heretofore been devised and no claim is made broadly to such an arrangement. I am not aware, however, that a valve controlling the passage of steam from a pressure chamber to a spray chamber has heretofore been devised wherein the flow of steam through the controlling valve induces suction around and inward of the valve stem preventing escape of steam thereabout and doing away with the presence of packing.

An embodiment of my invention is shown in the annexed drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the valve proper with the valve unseated, permitting steam to pass irom the heating and pressure chamber to the spray chamber;

Figure 2, a vertical sectional view taken at right angles to that of Figure 1 showing the valve in its closed position;

Figure 3, a horizontal sectional line IIIHI of Figure 1;

Figure 4, a perspective view showing a portion of the valve body, the valve seat and, in dotted lines, the skirt or lower portion of the disk or valve holder; and

Figure 5, a perspective view, partly broken away, illustrating the connection between the lower end oi the valve stem and the disk holder.

In the drawing 1 denotes a portion of the head of a garment press having a heating and pressure chamber 2 formed therein. Below the lower face 3 of the head is a perforate plate 4 spaced from the member 3 and forming a spray chamber 5.

In the use of garment pressingmachines steam under pressure is usually maintained in the heating and pressure chamber 2 and'its passage to the view on the spray chamber 5 is controlled by a valve mounted in a dome 6 extending upwardly from the head 1 and in free communication with the heating and pressure chamber 2. The valve body is denoted by 7 and its lower end is threaded and screwed into an opening formed in the wall 3. In the upper wall of the dome there is formed an opening somewhat larger in diameter than the valve body 7 so that it may be freely inserted therethrough and screwed to place.

The body is externally threaded and a. nut 8 mounted thereon is turned down against a washer 9 to securely hold the valve body in its proper position with reference to the head. Above the threaded portion the valve body is provided with a shouldered portion 11 which takes the form of a nut to facilitate the screwing 01' the valve body '7 into the member 3.

Valve body 7 has an opening or hole 12 drilled horizontally and entirely through the same. Connecting with such opening is a vertically disposed passage 13, the upper end of which terminates in a valve seat 14.

The seat 14 is formed upon the end of a cylindrical extension 15 projecting outwardly from the end of a transverse partition 16 located between and formed by two longitudinally extending passages ,17 and 18 within the valve body 7. As will be best seen upon reference to Fig. 4, the partition at its inner end is cut away or contoured to form longitudinally extending and oppositely disposed arcuate faces 19 and 20 while immediately above the same the partition terminates in a shouldered portion 15 from which the cylindrical extension arises.

As will be seen more particularly upon reference to Fig.1, the passages 17 and 18 extend throughout the length of the valve body without an'abrupt turn or impediment to the flow of steam therethrough once the steam is introduced into the upper end thereof. Moreover the cross area of each passage is in nowise restricted but on the other hand enlarges toward the discharge end. Thus the cross sectional area taken on the line a--a (Fig. 1) is smaller than that obtaining 1 at the line 11-12, while that which obtains at the line c-c is still larger and obtains throughout the remainder of the length of the body.

Mounted for reciprocation within the upper portion of the valve body 7 is a valve closure com-. 105 prising a disk holder 21 and the disk 29. As will be seen, a. substantial clearance is provided between the holder and the inner wall of the valve body. At its upper end the holder is connected by a pin 22to a stem or rod 23 which extends upstem guide and atits upper end contacts a lever 25 pivoted at 26 upon a bracket 2'7 secured in ,placebetween the stem guide 24 and the nut 11.

A spring 28 draws the lever downwardly so as to force the rod inwardly and seat the valve disk 29 mounted in the holder upon the seat 14. The holder is provided at its lower end with an inverted cup-shaped portion formed by a depending skirt 31, the outer face whereof is spaced clear of the inner face of the valve body 7 while its inner face contacts the arcuate faces 19 and 20 so that said faces make a close fit with the inner face of the skirt. I

By the construction Just mentioned the lower end of the disk holder is guided and when the disk is raised from its seat passages will be formed within the skirt communicating directly with the passages 17 and 18. In this manner steam entering the opening 12 from the pressure chamber 2 would pass. upwardly through the opening 13 and be caused to move in a downward direction within the skirt or inverted cup-shaped member, over the shoulder portion 15 and into the upper ends of the passages 1-7 and 18 as indicated by the arrows in Figure 1. In this way a Jet action is obtained and suction is produced down and around the disk holder 21 and around the stem 23, preeluding leakage of steam outwardly around and about the valve holder 21 and the stem 23. In view of the fact that the depending skirt 31 contacts the side faces 19 and 20 the steam which enters the inverted cup-shaped member when the valve is lifted is diverted directly by the shouldered portion 15 into the passages 1'7 and 18 and by reason of the restriction thus brought about a condition which may be likened to a Venturi effect is produced at the lower edge of the skirt where the steam is deflected in streams directly into the passages. This Venturi effect which is established and maintained by the increasing cross sectional area of the passages, as above set forth, causes a pull in the space which surrounds the disk holder 21.

It will be appreciated, of course, that the steam tends to move the disk holder upwardly but the spring 28 tends to draw the lever 25 downwardly and force the rod 23 and the disk holder downwardly so as to fairly seat the disk 29 upon the seat 14; The parts assume the position shown in Figure 2 when the lever 25 is released and the spring 28 permitted to function. In the closed position, or that shown in. Figure 2, the valve disk is fully positioned upon the seat 14 and passage of steam as indicated by the arrows in Figural is precluded.

In the broader aspect of the invention it will be appreciated that a single passage, as 17 or 18, might be employed instead of the two passages. A plural arrangement is, however, preferred inasmuch as it affords a larger area through which the steam may pass to the spray chamber 5.

What is claimed is:

- 1. A valve body having an annular upstanding seat with an inlet port opening into the same and at least one exhaust port located adjacent said seat; a disk carrier mounted for movement to and from said seat and standing in spaced relation to the adjacent wall of the body; a skirt depending from the lower end of said carrier and standing in spaced-relation to the wall of the body and the upstanding seat; and means extending into the bodyand spaced from its walls for actuating said valve whereby when the valve is raised from its seat the medium flowing therethrough will be deflected and jetted downwardly into the exhaust port and a suction set up inwardly along the outer face of the disk carrier and the means for actuating the same.

2. In combination with a valve body having an exhaust passage formed therein and likewise an inlet passage; a valve seat interposed between said passages; a valve disk; a disk carrier provided with a projecting skirt surrounding said seat in spaced relation thereto, the space within the skirt communicating with the intake end of the exhaust passage and said skirt and disk carrier likewise standing in spaced relation to the wall of the valve body; and means for actuating said carrier.

' 3. A valve adapted to be connected to a pressing element having two chambers, one of which is arranged above the other and said chambers having a common wall separating them, and said valve comprising a valve body adapted to be connected to the top wall of the upper chamber and to said common wall and provided with two passages one of which is adapted to lead from the lower chamber upwardly in said body and the other of which is adapted to lead from the upper chamber and terminates at a valve seat formed about said passage; a valve carrier located with in the upper portion of the valve body aforesaid, the wall of the carrier and valve body standing in spaced relation, said carrier having a depending skirt spaced from the wall of the valve body and surrounding the valve seat and body portion on which said seat is formed and being guided by said body portion; a valve disk mounted in the carrier; a rod extending outwardly from the valve carrier; and means for actuating said rod.

4. A valve adapted to be connected to a pressing elementhaving two chambers separated by extends; a disk holder loosely mounted within the upper portion of the valve body above the valve seat and standing in spaced relation to the adjacent wall of the body, said disk holder being provided with a depending skirt spaced from the wall of the valve body and extending belowithe upper marginal portion of the seat at all times and standing in spaced relation in part at least to that portion of the valve body upon which the seat is formed and being in communication with the passages extending upwardly through the valve body; a valve stem connected to the disk holder; and means for actuating said stem.-

5. In combination with a valve body the outer portion whereof is hollow; a transverse partition munication with the hollow outer portion of the valve body; an outwardly extending valve seat at the top of the partition,the upper portion of such partition immediately below the seat having longitudinally and oppositelydisposed guiding faces formed thereon, said faces being spaced apart a distance greater than the outer diameter of the valve seat, there likewise being a channel extending through the body and partition to the valve seat; a valve disk carrier loosely mounted in the hollow portion of the valve body; an annular skirt extending from said carrier and spaced from the wall of said hollow body portion, the inner face of said skirt contacting said guiding faces aforesaid; a valve disk mounted in the carrier; a stem extending outwardly from the carrier; and means for actuating the stem.

6. A structure as set forth in claim 5, wherein the guiding faces are arcuate in contour.

7. In a valve, the combination of a valve body having an annular valve seat formed therein, there being an inlet port communicating with the interior of the seat and at least one exhaust port located outwardly of the seat and extending through the valve body; and a valve closure cooperative with the seat, said closure standing in spaced relation to the adjacent wall of the body and having a depending portion spaced from the -wall of the body and surrounding the seat at all times and acting to deflect the pressure medium flowing through the valve into the exhaust port when the valve is lifted from its seat, whereby suction around the valve closure will be produced.

8. In a valve, the combination of a valve body having a member formed therein and spaced from the wall thereof, said member having an inlet port extending into the same from the outside of the body and said member likewise having a valve seat formed upon its outer end; a transverse partition in said body located below the member and producing oppositely disposed exhaust passages which at their upper ends terminate to each side of said member, said exhaust passages being smaller in cross area adjacent said member than at any point below the same; a

valve closure cooperative with the seat, said 010- sentiment; oF' ammonilate'nt No. L942, 987;

sure standing in spaced relation to the adjacent wall of the body and having a depending portion spaced from said wall and surrounding the seat and acting at all times to deflect the pressure medium flowing through the valve directly into the exhaust passages when the valve is lifted from its seat; a stem loosely connected to said valve closure; and spring means urging said stem' and valve closure inwardly.

9. In a 'valve, the combination of a valve body having an inlet opening extending into the same; a transverse partition located within the body and forming two exhaust passageways, one to each side thereof; a valve seat located above the inlet opening and formed on the upper portion of said partition and surrounding a passage in said partition communicating with said inlet opening; a valve, standing in spaced relation to the valve body, for closing upon said seat, said valve having 2. depending skirt surrounding the valve seat in spaced relation thereto and in spaced relation to the adjacent wall of the valve body, said skirt being of such length as to overlap said seat in all positions of the valve and said exhaust passageways aligning directly with the spaces formed between the inner face of the skirt and the adjacent face of the partition; and spring means serving to move the valve to its seat.

10. A valve comprising a body having a fluid pressure inlet and at least one unobstructed exhaust port enlarging toward its outer end; a valve seat located between said inlet and port; a valve located within the body in spaced relation to the wall thereof, said valve having a skirt spaced from the wall of the body and surrounding the seat and forming in conjunction therewith at least one jet producing passage for the fluid medium, said passage opening directly into the exhaust port; and means for normally holding the valve to its seat. 3

HARRY G. SUTTON.

January 9, i934.

mam a sermon ii is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction "Wall's" read wail; page 3, line-78, claim 8, after "surrounding" insert that the said Letters Eatenl should be 3 19' the words and spaaed iron and these corrections. therein that ibesaine may con'iom toibe the Patent @iiice as ioiiows: Page 2, line 75, claim read with record at the case in Signed and sealed this 6th day oi March, A. D. W34

(Seal) K lt i, Hopkins Acting @ommissioner at Paiems. 

